The Hunger Games
Part I: Tributes
Chapter 1
(Gales Point of View)
As I step off my front porch walking onto the dirt paved roads of District 12 the warm and early May sunlight hits my face. Today would be a normal day for me, I got up 5:30AM sharp, put on my hunting clothes, checked on my little brothers and sister, did a few quick chores like sweep the floor and get water from the small well in our backyard, and finally head out the door to pursue food for tonight's supper. Everything is normal, except its May 8th also known to everyone in Panem as the reaping day.
I've had to worry about this day every year since I was 12. It's been 6 years now making me 18 years old. I guess I should be celebrating; this is my final year of eligibility for the Games. I can't help but roll my eyes still. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking of the word, "Games". Normal games are supposed to be fun and carefree, not sadistic and life endangering. The –Hunger-Games is what I'm talking about.
In our nation of Panem we have a yearly slaughter on live TV. Kids anywhere from 12 to 18 have the chance of being picked to go in and fighting for their lives. Seventy Four years. That's how long this has been going on. For 74 years families have had to suffer from the loss of their child. Nothing ever changes though, want to know why? Because of the Capitol.
The Capitol's leader and all of Panem's leader is the infamous President Snow an older man with a surgically altered face, tight skin, puffy lips, and cold snake like eyes. Even his features are subtle compared to the freakish looking citizens of the Capitol. I don't despise them just because of their bizarre looks; they are not forced into a life of hardships and the chance of going into the Games. These people, well 'monsters' is more like it, are the encouraging bloodthirsty audience members of their favorite show. The other districts are just puppets to the Capitol, weak and easy to control. We battle with poverty, disease, and starvation while they play dress up and party. If you're not a Capitol citizen everyday is a battle for survival.
I've reached the town square. Most of the shops are still closed since it's still early. The bakery is open for business, just like everyday. I walk through the old doors, smelling the scent of fresh bread that I'm hoping to make a trade for. Mr. Mellark the bakery's owner sees me and smiles a warm gentle smile. He's not a man of many words but he does say, "How may I help you young man?" I smile slightly, he knows my name is Gale, but he wants to be polite. I respond, "I'm looking to make a trade. One fresh squirrel for a loaf of bread." One mediocre squirrel for a whole loaf of bread is not really a good deal, but it is still fresh meat. If this was his wife I was talking to I'm sure she would decline and then mutter something derogatory about Seam kids, but since this is the old man he gets up and ponders over the bread.
About a minute later he pulls out a hearty warm loaf and tosses it to me. If I really tried to I could make this bread last a few days between my family and Katniss' family as well. I give him the squirrel from my game bag. "Good luck" he says to me as I'm turning to leave, "Thank you sir." I reply.
That was nice of him to wish me good luck, he has sons of his own who may have to sacrifice themselves. The day is still early and dragging on extra slow but I don't really have anything else to do so I decide to go to the fence. The District 12 fence is topped with barbed wire and is supposedly electrified, but it almost never is. Just another lie. To be on the safe side though I listen for a hum or crackle of electricity. I hear nothing so I go under the fence and get my bow and arrow from a hollow log in the woods. Next to my bow is Katniss Everdeen's my best friend and hunting partner for the past 4 years.
In these woods is where we met. My father had died in a mine explosion and so had hers. My family and I were devastated. I'd lost the only man I'd ever loved. We don't talk about him often, even to this day, it's still painful. Time goes on no matter how you feel and there's thing in life you have to face. My father was a hardworking man and when he died I basically had to take on the roll of the father. We needed to survive. I was still too young to work in a Mine so to feed my family I was forced into the woods.
The woods are forbidden, but you know what they say, "Desperate times call for desperate measures". It was not easy, but I kept us alive. I got enough to just get by. So when I seen this skinny 12 year old girl holding a rabbit, that I thought was from my snare, I wasn't happy. I seen her but she couldn't see me, "Careful that's dangerous" I spoke.
She jumped a little not realizing I was in the shadows. I moved slightly closer so she could see me. I studied her face. Olive skin, gray eyes, straight braided black hair; she looked familiar, she looked like me. "What's your name?" I asked. She mouths a word that I'm guessing was "Catnip" but it turns out I was wrong, it was "Katniss". Strange name, I thought, both names. I smirked to myself. Ever since that fateful day we have become partners. We have each other backs no matter what. We weren't friends right away but I always have and will admire her for many reasons. We grew up together.
I feel a disturbance. My senses tell me to look by the hill I came from. It's just her. Her presence brings on a friendly smile of mine, she smiles back as she makes her way towards me. Inspiration for a joke hits me. Quickly, behind my back, I stick an arrow threw the loaf of bread. "Hey Catnip, look what I shot" I teased, holding out the loaf for her to see. She laughs of course. It seems like she only smiles in the woods.
Anyways, she sits next to me. Were already very close so I'm guessing that's why I got the urge to put my arm around her shoulder. I didn't do it though not wanting to cross any lines. She pulls out some kind of cheese, goat cheese I realize thinking of her little sister Prim. She confirms my theory before I can speak it, "Prim made us a cheese". "Thank you Prim" I say.
We eat our breakfast in mostly comfortable silence, were focused on the food. I let my mind wonder off while we eat. I think of how my life, our lives, has been for the past few years. How these woods have not only been a source of food but also a second home. The nostalgia of this place is what makes me say, "We could do it you know".